This week is Fungus Week in Exploring Nature With Children.
We headed to our local nature spot for our Monday nature study.
This morning was perfect Autumnal weather. Foggy, with a slight nip in the air, but not uncomfortably so.
We fed the birds first.
They were, as usual, rather hungry.
Then we went on to hunt for fungus.
We found some beauties!
Then home to complete our journals.
Later this week I shall be posting a tutorial to show you, step by step, how I create the watercolour pages in my journal. I hope this will be helpful.
How is your nature study going this week?
Happy exploring!
Hi Lynn
I am very much looking forward to your tutorial! As my children are quite young they were a little overwhelmed by the idea of doing their own journals so we all contribute to the family journal, I am trying to get Dad to do a page too! We have only been keeping it since March so we are still trying to find our style. My eldest (6) trys to do too much and often ends up disheartened, he wants to make an encyclopedia, so could you talk about what a journal means for you please.
We have been for our fungi foray but have not done our journal entry yet, it may end up rather an extravaganza as fungi are a favourite topic. We didn’t see a huge number of fungi on our walk I think it might have been a bit late as were told there were lots there a few weeks ago, never mind we will try again next year, we found enough to make it interesting. We have a fungi foray coming up with wildlife club in a fortnight as part of a proper scientific study so that should be really informative.
Still loving the book, looking forward to lichen which is something I know nothing about.
Best wishes
Jenny
Hello Jenny
I love the idea of a family journal. It really is a smashing idea. I feel for your 6 yo. It is easy to become discouraged when looking at this as ‘art’. If a nature journal is looked at as a means of scientific observation & a way to record that information (rather than trying to create pretty pictures) then it is a more satisfying experience.
For us as parents, then nature journals are a wonderful record of happy times with our children 🙂
For me personally, as well as the points above, I have learned so much about the world around me from observing nature in my journal. It forces me to slow down and enjoy this beautiful world.
I would really recommend reading ‘How to make a journal of your life’ by Dan Price. It is a tiny little book, but full of inspiration.
I think an encyclopaedia is a great idea! Perhaps he could make it in a ring binder with loose sheets of paper inserted into page protectors. This way he can add to it very easily, without getting in a tizzy over how many pages to allow for each letter etc.
I am really glad you are enjoying Exploring Nature With Children, Jenny. It makes me very happy to hear from you 🙂
Also, have a look at this past post
http://raisinglittleshoots.com/2015/08/24/setting-up-your-nature-journal/
Thanks very much Lynn,
I have read this post several times and it is useful! I would recommend it to any newbies.
Both children enjoy sharing their journal with anyone who will sit still long enough to look at it:-) . We already refer back to it often to check one thing or another, and they are planning to share it with their own children waaaaaaaay in the future.
My eldest is very keen on science but he seems to understand it as something that is perfect rather than experimental, so I think that is where the frustration comes in. Also he doesn’t like writing, his brain works much faster than his hand. There is so much he wants to put in and he can’t do it all in one go. He does like drawing and watercolours particularly but again is frustrated when the picture doesn’t turn out as he hoped.
The looseleaf binder may well work for him as it would be easier to come back to and add, he could also organise it in sections to make it easier to find things!
I will share your comments with him which will hopefully reinvigorate him. I will also look up the book you suggest.
Many thanks
Jenny
You are welcome, Jenny.
I think it is so wonderful that your children want to share their journal with their own children…I am sure they will! It will be an heirloom.
Ah, I see your son’s frustrations. Regarding the writing, some families find it helpful for the child to dictate & the parent to do the writing. It might be helpful.
Keep me posted 🙂
Fly agaric is exciting. I don’t think I’ve seen one except in pictures. Hoping that we will find one on our nature walk, this week. Any tips for finding one?
Sarah, we are finding them in the most odd places; they are just ‘out there’ on patches of grass! I would normally suggest woodland (look particularly for birch trees)
It might be worth seeing if your local council have any fungal forays going on. The leaders will know where they are hiding 🙂